*notcot - , 10:00 -

The House That Griffin Built at CES

griffinnew.jpg This CES content is sponsored by BestBuyOn.com. Thanks, Best Buy!!!

There’s an iLounge at CES… it’s exactly what you’d imagine, mac fanboy overload. And a lot of eames chairs. And retro-modern furnishings… like this HOUSE that Griffin Technology built! So fun to look at, yet totally embarrassing to encounter. It’s pretty and fun like a doll house, but the UX of it practically wasn’t so good. Like i’ve known and loved Griffin for years… yet i got up to the house, and up close embarrassingly asked who the booth was for. At which point i got a very matter of fact and standoffish “Griffin” as the response. Oops. My bad. As i looked around trying to figure out how i missed that… the house was so hard to enter, and the products so hard to see/access… that it wasn’t even until i backed up fully i could properly see their sign that said Griffin high above the house! But from a design perspective, the booth was an inspiringly adorable change to the usual layouts… i just wish it wasn’t at the expense of showing off the products. There were even a few i was dying to see from the press releases in person, but they made it so difficult, i’m sad to admit i gave up, and decided it was more fun to enjoy their architecture! See more pics of the house on the next page…

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*notcot - , 09:40 -

AR.Drone Parrot at CES

dronenew.jpg This CES content is sponsored by BestBuyOn.com. Thanks, Best Buy!!!

AR.Drones have come a long way since they mesmerized us at CES with their amazing iPhone controlled flying machine last year… that was in a huge net on the show floor… well this year, they have a great space outside! And it’s definitely had me watching, mesmerized, wondering how i’ve managed not to give in to one of them yet. Or TWO… you can even played augmented reality shooter games with them now… (see the video on the next page to make sense of it)… see more pics on the next page of them in action. It’s hard not to want an iPhone/iPad controlled wifi AR qudricopter!

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*notcot - , 09:20 -

Audi at CES 2011

audi0.jpg This CES content is sponsored by BestBuyOn.com. Thanks, Best Buy!!!

Ok, firstly. OMG. CES is absolute madness as always. Vegas is, well, Vegas. And as you’ve seen in previous years, CES coverage NOTCOT style is a smattering of eye catching design in real life! So first things that tend to grab me (we see the products so early often!) is booth design! First one to just literally suck me in and leave me in awe not wanting to leave… Audi. Wow. In a sea of show floor visual chaos, tucked behind the digital health (i.e. fitness ipad apps and adjustable beds), there is this looming large box of a space, that literally glows… and you just HAVE to walk in… and once in, there’s something almost magical (yet so surreal like you stepped into a scifi in between space) that is SO glowingly white from all sides, geometric facets all around, from the floor and ceiling and walls to the furniture and installations. Showing off their new electric and hyper linked systems, the display was filled with grown men and women with that 5 year old look of wonder. While their keynote promised a dreamy future of technology in automotive… from AR HUDs and e-tron spyder concepts, to autonomously driven Audi TTS… while still stressing that while they want more technology to assist the driver, they don’t want to take away driving from the driver. I can’t deny there is a definite draw to the clean glowing simplicity of their “booth”! See it on the next page!

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*notcot - 01.05.11 , 00:06 -

Gift Guide: TV outdoors

outdoors.jpg This post is the last of three gift guides sponsored by Xfinity. Focused on themes of gifts and gadgets that help us push the boundaries of how and where we watch TV! As usual ~ content is all me, and they’re sponsoring me to do it! And for the official bit: “This post is brought to you by Xfinity from Comcast. Watch all your favorite shows from anywhere with Xfinity TV. The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Comcast or its partners” Advertisement

Ick, feeling sick today, and supposed to drive to vegas in the morning to join in the CES madness that is kicking off! Had hoped to get a few more posts together, but those will have to wait! In the mean time… here’s a look at a few fun ways to watch TV outside, and the devices you need to do it! From picnics and drive-ins in the back yard, to backpacking/camping, to playing out by the pool, to tailgating! So fun how streaming anything to and from just about anywhere is possible these days! See it all on the next page!

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*notcot - 12.27.10 , 21:31 -

Montessorium iPhone/iPad Apps

montess.jpg Montessorium has a new app! Sure i don’t have kids, but having grown up a Montessori kid, their iphone and ipad apps are an instant throw back… tracing the letters on a touch screen, aren’t quite the same as tracing the sand paper letters mounted on colored boards… but the portability and animations are awesome! First they launched Intro To Math, next came Intro To Letters… and freshly launched is Alpha Writer! Illustrations are even by Zeptonn! All of them are perfect for toddlers to get to know letters, numbers, and start making words… see some screenshots on the next page.

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*notcot - 12.23.10 , 10:25 -

Fashion Embedded Technology

techcloth0.jpg This post is brought to you by Old Navy. Thanks, Old Navy, for inspiring me to rant about tech fashion!Advertisement

When faced with writing a post on technology in fashion instigated by Old Navy and their new Techno Hoodies, we went through everything we could find. It’s actually been a fascinating research project of sorts exploring what is happening in the fashionable technology world, and sadly i expected more! We need more wearable tech! Or washable, wearable tech? The easy thing was letting my mind wander in and out of scifi movies, combining things i’d find, imagining what could be next… so on the next page you’ll see a few examples of my favorite technology in fashion innovations!

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*notcot - 12.22.10 , 11:10 -

New Signal Process BreakOut Pedal

pedal1.jpg On new uses for the iPhone/iPad, or old iPhones… love the idea of adding it to your guitar/music gear as your latest super versatile Pedal! This just came in to NOTCOT.org submissions and was so cool it needed a featured post! New Signal Process BreakOut Pedal - “Boutique audio interface for the iPad and iPhone, handmade in Portland, OR by group of artist tech misfits obsessed with Alice Coltrane records and pranking friends.” Made from high quality hardware, it allows you music to be passed through the iPhone/iPad and right through and ready for your amp ~ “It literally breaks out of the iPhone’s headphone jack, so you can use all your favorite recording, signal processing and sampling apps. It’s mono design fits in perfectly with effects pedals and amplifiers. The internal circuitry solves all signal, feedback and detection issues you may have sending guitar and line signals in and out of the iPhone and iPad, and allows for a plethora of uses, on stage, in the field, and at home, with guitars, mics, amps, PAs, etc.” Awesome, right? See more pics of the ! New Signal Process BreakOut Pedal on the next page!

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*notcot - 12.16.10 , 16:30 -

NogPong - Saatchi LA + Deep Local

nogpong00.jpg The Saatchi & Saatchi LA xmas email came out yesterday, and this year they are “giving back by making donations to three nonprofit charities on your behalf: The Amanda Foundation, Free Arts for Abused Children and New Directions“… and then they announced NOG PONG! Exactly what it sounds like, only it’s always our turn, and they get to do all the eggnog drinking…

Teaming up with Deep Local (yup, our new favorite people from Project Reindeer, etc) - “Nogbot started as an off-the-shelf ping-pong practice machine. In one weekend, we reverse engineered the machine and replaced its guts with our own wiring and microcontroller. The new microcontroller allowed us to programmatically control the motors, switches and servos to do our bidding. We created a web-based API to communicate with Nogbot allowing an external program to fire balls at different speeds and directions.” Awesome, right? Well they’ve also shared some pics of what the NogBot looks like! (He’s your real world arm launching those balls as you click from behind your monitor.) As well as videos of the game in action, and the making of! Check it all out on the next page… love these projects that really pull the digital and physical closer in such playful ways!

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*notcot - 12.15.10 , 15:19 -

byAMT Clé USB

cle0.jpg First reaction to byAMT’s Clé USB - the packaging is adorable! And i couldn’t help but thinking ~ this would be an awesome press kit! (I have little mounds of the usual branded USB key press kits in a pile… it’s fun when someone does something cool!) There’s something about the adorable 3D printed key that feels like it would unlock exciting secrets ~ a digital secret garden of sorts? Alissia even mentioned she’s going to start 3D printing logos right into them as well, which would be lovely to customize for gifts, giveaways, press kits, wedding pics, etc? A box of collectoins of keys holding memories would be so cute! Check out more pics of the unboxing on the next page!

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*notcot - 12.13.10 , 12:05 -

Gift Guide: TV in the Kitchen

ckitchen0.jpg This post is the second of three gift guides sponsored by Xfinity. Focused on themes of gifts and gadgets that help us push the boundaries of how and where we watch TV! As usual ~ content is all me, and they’re sponsoring me to do it! And for the official bit: “This post is brought to you by Xfinity from Comcast. Watch all your favorite shows from anywhere with Xfinity TV. The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Comcast or its partners” Advertisement

Today we’re taking it into the kitchen! A peek at gadgets/accessories to help you when you’re in the kitchen and porting TV over, whether for entertainment or following along your favorite cooking shows - pausing, rewinding, using the TV as your live cook book of sorts… also take a peek at some Tasteologie Editors’ favorite cooking show indulgences all on the next page!

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*notcot - , 02:20 -

Ona: The Roma DLSR Insert

ona1.jpg I’m notorious for carrying my beloved 5D mkII relatively unprotected in just about any purse that will fit it… So long as the stitching seems like it can take the weight. And when placed carefully in my messenger bag with laptop and a ton of other gear… well, maybe there are some flip flops buffering the bottom in that hand carry. And i’ve said for years now that i should get some foam and sew up a perfect little insert/sleeve for it! That being said, i’m always on the look out for a sleek solution that doesn’t add more bulk than necessary. And i just stumbled across Ona’s the Roma tonight, and i must admit i’m quite intrigued. Need to go do some measuring to see how it will do with my set up… but it’s looking pretty good!

Here’s what they say: “Let the Roma camera insert transform your favorite non-camera bag into a protective space for your gear. While the Roma won’t replace your carry-it-all camera bag, its the perfect solution for light trips and shoots where only your camera and a lens are needed. But that’s not all. The Roma also has five exterior pockets that’ll help keep your stuff organized. A camera insert that’s also a bag organizer; quite the twofer if we do say so ourselves. Handcrafted with premium Waxwear. Leather side handles for easy removal from your bag.” Dimensions: 10.5”L X 7”H X 4”D. See more pics on the next page!

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*notcot - , 00:00 -

Holiday TV Streaming

streamy.jpg This sponsored post is brought to you by Samsung Electronics America and the Apps available on Samsung Smart TVs - content is mine, and they are enabling me to do my thing! Thanks, Samsung! Click Here

TVs really are like artwork in the house these days ~ when it takes up so much visual real estate in a room, bar, etc, you really can’t leave it off as a big black screen of nothingness! So the big question is, what do you leave on? And with so many apps and channels and dvd collections and everything these days, i’ve been bouncing the idea around with friends about what we’d possibly leave on in the background streaming while people were over and not actually focused on the TV… which things look pretty and interesting enough to glance at now and then… things you don’t necessarily need to be full engrossed in to have moments of enjoyment from… and yet, you could also plop down on the couch and lose yourself in them if that bored and trying to survive the holidays? So, we’ve pulled together a rather random smattering of films and shows that came up, as well as some apps that help you get the job done too! Check out our list on the next page!

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*notcot - 12.06.10 , 16:33 -

Samsung Tweet Wrap

tweetwrap.jpg Ok i struggled for about 5 seconds on this one. I know, its been a heavily sponsored, brand happy holiday season. Between actual awesome sponsors supporting what we do here ~ and the many many giveaways and gift guides in progress… and Samsung is in fact one of (not to play favorites) our very awesome sponsors once again this season. But all of that aside, this was just awesome, and were it for any other random brand, i’d be posting it. So here it is!

Appropriately i found out about this little internet toy on Twitter ~ Samsung’s Boosted is bringing us all some Tweet Wrap ~ wrapping paper you can customize with your tweets (or any search you want) ~ and they will actually SEND you your wrapping paper ~ Free! (You can also order more, pay for speedy delivery, etc). Beyond the concept, the site and UI is fun, playful, colorful, and all around holiday happiness… besides, 8 bit video game styling and fun optical illusion filled textures can’t go wrong… so since there were only 65 of the 3000 free rolls when i just tried it, had to share. And screenshots of the nice UI on the next page.

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*notcot - 12.03.10 , 12:30 -

Gift Guide: Photography

photogmain.jpg Click HereGift Guide time! In addition to the NOTCOT Holiday Coupons and the many Holiday Giveaways that will be unfolding daily… this one is focused on PHOTOGRAPHY! as sponsored by Starbucks who is celebrating their 12 Days of Sharing with us, hiding fun goodies, which are popping out from behind NOTCOT.org posts! So, if you’re ready to see my Photography focused gift guide picks ~ check out the next page!

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*notcot - 12.02.10 , 00:00 -

Fitness via Samsung TV Apps!

samsungfitness.jpg This sponsored post is brought to you by Samsung Electronics America - content is mine, and they are enabling me to do my thing! The amount and types of Apps available on Samsung Smart TVs vary depending on TV Technology and Model. Make sure to check www.samsung.com/apps to see a complete list of apps available on Samsung Smart TVs and which apps are available on specific models. The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Samsung Electronics or its partners.Click Here

So i’m currently at Gramercy Park Hotel - actually just popped down 14 floors to their gym you see in the pic up there! Working out on the go is a challenge ~ and i’ve been ending up in a lot of conversations lately on how technology has helped/evolved the way we work out and find regularity in our schedules, especially while on the go ~ as well as many discussions about how apps and the internet on our TVs are changing our interactions in the living room. Combine the two, and when posed with a chance to explore the new Samsung TV Apps, it seemed only natural to see what’s available these days that can change the way we exercise. From literally using fitness apps, to streaming workout videos/dvds on youtube and netflix ~ from blasting pandora tunes to skypeing a trainer or a friend to work out with from just about ANYWHERE… take a peek at what i found!

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